What energy is stored in chemical bonds?

• A. Kinetic energy
• B. Potential energy
• C. Chemical energy
• D. Thermal energy

Answer: (C)

Energy stored in chemical bonds is chemical energy. This energy comes from the way atoms share and arrange electrons in bonds, a form of potential energy tied to the molecule’s structure. When bonds are broken and new bonds form during reactions, energy can be released or absorbed, driving heat and other changes. In contrast, kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and thermal energy relates to the overall random motion of particles at a given temperature. So the energy locked inside bonds—the energy available to do work when bonds rearrange—is chemical energy.